PALM HARBOR, Fla. – One week after speaking publicly for the first time about dealing with PTSD following brain surgery, Gary Woodland feels a whole lot lighter.
“A thousand pounds lighter,” he said of the relief of not having to hide what he’s going through anymore. “I cried walking in to do the interview and then I felt a thousand pounds lighter.”
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Woodland, 41, went public during an interview that aired on Golf Channel and he said the response has been overwhelming and he continues to get messages that have been uplifting.
Gary Woodland tees off on the fifth hole during the first round of the 2026 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
“It’s been amazing, to be honest with you. I obviously got a lot of love and support after coming out of brain surgery and all that, but it was a lot more last week. I was maybe a little surprised by that,” he said. “I think probably a lot of people could relate more to what I’m battling right now than they can relate to brain surgery. But everyone’s amazing out here. The family, the tour itself, the golf world, it’s been amazing.”
He added: “I tell you what, I was nervous to come out. It’s something I battled now for over a year. But last week my caddie said it was the best he’s seen me since he can remember. I think just releasing it now. I can focus my energy on myself and what I need to do to be successful, instead of wasting my energy trying to hide something. It’s my reality, it’s what I’m battling, and we’ll get better, for sure.”
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Woodland, whose Valspar Championship title 15 years ago is among his four Tour titles, shot 3-under 68 on Friday to improve to 4-under 138 at the midway point and secure two more rounds on the weekend. Woodland had missed two cuts in a row and had the weekend off in four of his six starts this season.
“It’s probably as solid a round as I had all year,” Woodland said. “It’s been coming. I’ve been hitting it nice on the range, our practice sessions have been really good. I just haven’t translated to the golf course. So it was a lot of stay the course. Stay the course. We know it’s coming. I was talking to Randy, my coach, Friday after missing the cut last week and just talking about how close it is. Like how close I am to just taking off. Nice to see some signs that have this week.”
And nice to have the support of the golf community and as he put it, “just be myself and not have to hide what I’m going through.”
“Maybe it’s one shot a round,” he continued, “maybe it’s five more minutes that I have energy to play with my kids when I get back to the room. All that’s going to help.”
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Gary Woodland opens up about PTSD after brain surgery
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